Monthly Archives for March 2013

Finally! A new recipe post. I have to say, finding out my son has several food allergies has been quite an ordeal and has taken up the majority of my time. I am on information overload. It reminds me of when I first became vegan (nearly a decade ago); it seemed there was a vast ocean of knowledge I needed to soak up. Getting down what food we can eat has been stage one. Now I’m delving into skin care and household products information. Would you believe that nearly every soap and lotion I had in the house contained wheat and soy in some form? Goodness. But, I will save that topic for another time. Now, on to these muffins…

Making breakfast muffins was something I did regularly pre-gluten-free days, so what’s to stop me now? Gluten-free all-purpose flour blends have been my lifesaver since ditching wheat. They making gluten-free baking easy for a newbie like me. I am just now getting into making my own blends. Some good premixed flour blends I’ve tried are King Arthur, Better Batter and Bob’s Red Mill . I like to use Bob’s for savory baking because it has a very bean-like taste to it. King Arthur has been great for muffins and pancakes, and Better Batter has been perfect for cookies, brownies and cakes.

Breakfast muffins are a great way to get fruit into my toddler. In this recipe, I use blueberries as the add-in fruit, but I’ve also made these with shredded carrots, peeled and diced apples, and dried figs. You can also add a few spoonfuls of flax, hemp or chia seeds to umph the health factor.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. Line 2 muffin tins with 16 paper liners.
In a large bowl, using a fork, mash the bananas until very few lumps remain. Add the oil, sugar, almond milk, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla – mix well. In a separate bowl, sift together the gluten-free flour, baking soda, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in 1/2 cup increments. Stir very gently with a rubber spatula until combined; gently fold in the blueberries.
Use an ice cream scoop with a release lever to pour batter into muffin liners, or use an oiled 1/3 cup measuring cup.
Bake for 25-28 minutes, or until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

These muffins have crisp, almost buttery tops that are perfect for little hands to hold and nibble on. They pair nicely with a hot cup of tea on an early morning.